Brian Hoyer says the key to good leadership is to be yourself, and that’s how the quarterback is approaching his second start with the Browns.

He isn’t big on yelling or screaming to motivate teammates in the huddle or on the sidelines.

For the Browns’ quarterback, leadership is all about demonstrating that you know what you’re doing and staying true to your own personality. And when it comes to being heard, he tends to be choosy about the timing.

“If I feel like I need to say something, I say it,” Hoyer said. “I’m not going to go out there and be ‘rah-rah.’ I’m not that type of guy. If you can go out there and show that you’re responsible for your job, show that you’re prepared, I think other guys see that, and that’s another way to be a leader.”

Hoyer learned plenty about leadership during his three seasons, 2009-2011, as a backup to Tom Brady in New England. He closely observed how Brady handled everything, from the meeting room to the field and “how he kind of used techniques to motivate people or get people going.”

“That definitely helped,” Hoyer said. “But you’ve got to be yourself. If you’re not yourself, they’ll see right through it. But I think being a leader is part of the job at this position. You show confidence, you show that you know what you’re doing, I think other guys see that and feed off it.”

A defining moment in Hoyer’s first start with the Browns, during last Sunday’s 31-27 victory at Minnesota, came just before the team’s final offensive drive with 3:21 remaining. With the Vikings holding a 27-24 lead and the Browns at their own 45-yard line, Hoyer, aware that kicker Billy Cundiff was injured and would be unable to attempt a tying field goal, had a fairly simple and obvious message for the rest of the offense.

“Let’s just go down and get a touchdown,” he said.

And when Hoyer wound up guiding the Browns on an 11-play, 55-yard march that ended with his perfectly thrown scoring pass to Jordan Cameron for the winning points, his teammates had reason to gain a higher level of trust for their new quarterback.

“I think it helps, but it’s just one game; this is a long season,” Hoyer said. “After this game, that’s only a quarter of the season down. You’ve just got to continue to build and be consistent with it. You do it one time, that’s OK. But you’ve got to do it week in and week out, day in and day out.”